Appendix E – Appropriate Assessment Report • Aquafact – Appropriate Assessment Report (July 2014) July 2014 1 Appropriate Assessment of Rosslare Europort Maintenance Dredging and Beach Nourishment Campaign Produced by AQUAFACT International Services Ltd On behalf of Iarnród Éireann Issued July 2014 AQUAFACT INTERNATIONAL SERVICES ltd 12 KILKERRIN park TUAM rd GALWAY city www.aquafact.ie [email protected] tel +353 (0) 91 756812 fax +353 (0) 91 756888 Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 1 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 2.1. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 1 2.2. Requirement for an Article 6 Assessment ........................................................................................... 1 2.3. The Aim of this Report ....................................................................................................................... 2 2.4. Consultation ..................................................................................................................................... 3 3. Appropriate Assessment Process .............................................................................................. 4 3.1. Legislative Context ............................................................................................................................ 4 3.2. Stages of AA ...................................................................................................................................... 5 3.2.1. Stage 1. Screening for Appropriate Assessment ........................................................................................ 5 3.2.2. Stage 2. Appropriate Assessment (NIS) ...................................................................................................... 6 3.2.3. Stage 3. Alternative Solutions .................................................................................................................... 6 3.2.4. Stage 4. Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI)/Derogation ........................................ 7 4. Stage 1: Appropriate Assessment Screening .............................................................................. 7 4.1. Description of Proposed Plan and Site Characteristics ........................................................................ 7 4.1.1. Description of the Proposed Activity .......................................................................................................... 7 4.1.1.1. Background 7 4.1.1.2. Investigation/Development Phase 8 4.1.1.3. Operational Phase 13 4.1.2. Description of Receiving Environment ..................................................................................................... 13 4.1.2.1. Rosslare Europort & Nourishment Site 13 4.1.2.2. Rosslare Strand 14 4.1.2.3. Marine Mammals 15 4.2. Identification of Relevant Natura 2000 Sites .................................................................................... 23 4.2.1. Relevant Natura 2000 Sites and Qualifying Interests/Special Conservation Interests............................. 23 4.2.2. Conservation Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 30 4.2.2.1. Long Bank cSAC; Site Code: IE002161 30 4.2.2.2. Blackwater Bank cSAC; Site Code: IE002953 31 4.2.2.3. Carnsore Point cSAC; Site Code: IE002269 31 4.2.2.4. Slaney River Valley cSAC; Site Code: IE000781 32 4.2.2.5. Raven Point Nature Reserve cSAC; Site Code: IE000710 37 4.2.2.6. Saltee Island cSAC; Site Code: IE000707 38 4.2.2.7. The Raven SPA; Site Code: IE004019 39 4.2.2.8. Wexford Harbour and Slobs SPA; Site Code: IE004076 41 4.2.2.9. Lady’s Island Lake SPA; Site Code: IE004009 49 4.2.2.10. Tacumshin Lake SPA; Site Code: IE004092 49 4.3. Assessment of Likely Effects ............................................................................................................ 49 4.3.1. Likely Effects of Proposed Activity ............................................................................................................ 49 4.3.2. Screening Assessment .............................................................................................................................. 54 4.3.2.1. Sediment Suspension at Nourishment Site 54 4.3.2.2. Sediment Dispersion to Rosslare Strand 57 4.3.2.3. Noise 58 4.3.3. Screening Statement ................................................................................................................................ 61 5. Summary................................................................................................................................ 61 6. References ............................................................................................................................. 62 List of Figures Figure 3.1: Stages in the AA process (Source: DEHLG, 2009). ........................................................................................... 5 Figure 4.1: Area to be dredged outlined in red. ............................................................................................................... 9 Figure 4.2: Location of the dredge area, nourishment site and route to nourishment site ............................................ 12 Figure 4.3: Cetacean sightings from January 2009 to July 2014 from Cahore Point to Crossfarnoge Point (www.iwdg.ie)17 Figure 4.4: Number of sightings by species Jan 2009 – Jul 2014 (www.iwdg.ie) ............................................................ 18 Figure 4.5: Number of individuals by species Jan 2009 – Jul 2014 (www.iwdg.ie) ......................................................... 19 Figure 4.6: Number of sightings per month Jan 2009 – Jul 2014 (www.iwdg.ie) ............................................................ 20 Figure 4.7: Number of individuals per month Jan 2009 – Jul 2014 (www.iwdg.ie)......................................................... 20 Figure 4.8: Known breeding, moulting and resting sites in Wexford Harbour (NPWS, 2011) ......................................... 22 Figure 4.9: Grey seal breeding sites in the vicinity of the dredge and beach nourishment sites. ................................... 23 Figure 4.10: Locations of the primary and secondary dredge areas and the disposal site.............................................. 49 Figure 4.11: Deposition thickness following the dredging and disposal activities. ......................................................... 50 Figure 4.12: Maximum suspended solids concentration over a spring neap tidal cycle ................................................. 51 Figure 4.13: Net movement of nourishment material due to F6 storm from North East ............................................... 52 Figure 4.14: Net movement of nourishment material due to F6 storm from East ......................................................... 52 Figure 4.15: Net movement of nourishment material due to F6 storm from South East ............................................... 53 Figure 4.16: Net movement of nourishment material due to F6 storm from South East & Offshore Swell .................... 53 List of Tables Table 4.1: Average number of individuals per sighting (www.iwdg.ie). ....................................................................... 19 Table 4.2: Average number of individuals per sighting per month (www.iwdg.ie). ...................................................... 21 Table 4.3: Identification of relevant Natura 2000 sites. All those screened in are highlighted. .................................... 25 Table 4.4: Location of all cSACs and SPAs within 15km of the proposed dredge and beach nourishment sites. ........... 29 Table 4.5: Criteria for Permanent injury – estimated values for PTS onset for non-pulse sources ................................ 60 Table 4.6: Criteria and values for disturbance/behavioural response from non-pulse sources .................................... 60 List of Appendices Appendix 1 Consultation Appendix 2 Oil Spill Contingency Plan Appropriate Assessment of Rosslare Europort Maintenance Dredging and Beach Iarnród Éireann Nourishment Campaign July 2014 1. Executive Summary AQUAFACT International Services were commissioned by Iarnród Éireann to carry out an Appropriate Assessment (AA) of its plans to dredge Rosslare Europort and dispose of the material in a beach nourishment site. An initial ‘Stage 1 Screening for Appropriate Assessment – Rosslare Europort Maintenance Dredging’ report was prepared by Iarnród Éireann in April 2014 at a time when all of the proposal details and modelling results were unavailable. Due to this lack of information significant impacts could not be ruled out and the Iarnród Éireann screening report concluded that Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment (preparation of a Natura Impact Statement NIS) was required. However, a repeat of the screening stage for the current report incorporating all of the proposal details and modelling results, concluded that there is no potential for significant effects and Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment is not required. 2. Introduction 2.1. Background Iarnród Éireann is seeking permission from the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government (Marine Planning & Foreshore Unit) to carry